A Worse Neighborhood
by Honeydew42
Summary: "Yeah, well, he can take care of himself. Never seen a human like him, and I've been 'round longer'n I like." "I'm billions of years old. And Dean is unlike any other creature in the universe. He is... different." "Different." agrees the vampire easily.
1. Chapter 1

_Cass, can you hear me? Look, I don't know what happened back there and I don't care. You better fucking be alive. I guess we're not alive, are we?_

 _..._

 _Where are you, man?_

"He really did pray, ever single night, you know."

Castiel glances over at the accusing tone, wanting nothing more than for the vampire to have not spoken. "I know."

"Did you know every time he woke up from a nightmare, he called for you?" this time Benny's voice is even more accusing, as if Castiel had offended him personally.

The angel regards the monster, and determines he is being truthful. He also sees, beyond the anger and accusation, that the monster cares for Dean. This makes Castiel unreasonably angry, and he snarls the word, " _No."_

After a moment, he slumps, all fight leaving him. "It wouldn't have made a difference anyway, I was doing it to keep him safe."

"Yeah, well, he can take care of himself. Never seen a human like him, and I've been 'round longer'n I like."

"I'm billions of years old. And Dean is unlike any other creature in the universe. He is... _different_."

"Different." agrees the vampire easily.

For a very long time, Benny is subject to the blank stare Castiel has perfected.

"You care for him." his voice is as blank as the stare. It is not a question.

"Saved my life a couple times." says Benny.

"How did you come to be working with Dean?"

"He's my way out. How did you?"

"I pulled his soul from perdition and remade him."

 _Cass, where are you, buddy? If you can hear me, you should know I'm coming for you. And there's no use trying to stay away, I will find you, god damn it._

It goes unspoken, their common goal. Castiel does not like or trust the vampire, but he attempts to tolerate at least, for Dean. But he can't stand the way the vampires _dares_ to touch Dean. And Dean just _lets_ him.

Sure, it's all innocent touches, a steadying hand on an arm, or briefly clasping a shoulder after a fight, but nearly every time, the vampire throws Castiel a glance almost as if claiming the human.

If the angel were sure that Dean would forgive him, he would smite the vampire. As it stands, Castiel just makes sure _he_ touches Dean more. He begins to wish he hadn't healed the handprint on Dean's arm. So instead of killing the vampire, Castiel makes sure that Dean falls asleep to gentle hands sliding through hair, or trailing from shoulder, all the way down to fingertips with the softest pressure. Just enough to remind Dean it is happening, and who is touching him. He knows Dean wouldn't allow this under any other circumstances and the only reason he'll allow the contact is because he is afraid Castiel will leave again while he sleeps. He can see it every time Dean looks at him.

But Castiel knows just how much Dean will tolerate, so he limits the touch to night, while the human sleeps on his trench coat, often with his head resting in his angel's lap. His hands do not part from Dean's skin the entire time he slumbers, instinctively chasing away any forming nightmares, turning them into happy memories.

 _Why'd you just leave like that? Family's supposed to stick together._

"I get it, ya know. You don't have to go tryin' to prove he's yours. I knew it before I even met ya." It is the first time he has spoken in hours.

For reasons the angel refuses to examine, the word 'yours' fills Castiel with that familiar fire only Dean incites within him. "Good." After a long moment, "Too bad Dean doesn't know that."

"Sure he does. It wasn't just nightmares that had him callin' your name."

Castiel does not understand the meaning behind the vampires words until he discerns the tone: jealousy. "You are mistaken."

"I'm not. Desperate to find you. Accidentally let slip 'my angel' a couple of times. And anyway, I know longing. Hunger." Benny prods at the fire, but his eyes are on Dean. "You can trust me, ya know. I won't betray him. He ain't just a means to an end."

"I know. You'd die for him?" Castiel's fingers twist through the human's hair.

"In a heartbeat. No that my heart, ya know, beats or anythin'."

 _I know you can hear me, you feathery bastard. Wherever you are, find me._

'If it did, would you give it to him?" this said in the softest tone the angel has ever used around him. One of his hands rests firmly about the human's heart, the fingers of his other hand playing over the pulse point at his neck.

Benny watches with obvious envy. Castiel thinks he can see an ember burning behind the vampire's eyes, reminiscent of his own fire, and knows the answer already.

"I would carve out my own, for him. Anyone's. We are both unworthy, but," and here the angel looks up with a smirk. "you're not so bad. For a parasite."

 _Cass... I'm tired. If you're out there, if you can hear me, I'll find you... but it would be nice if you could meet me halfway._


	2. Chapter 2

After that night, Benny and the angel strike up something of an understanding. Dean notices, of course, but doesn't say anything. The only difference is, they have each other's back, as well as Dean.'s But they both know Dean comes first.

And they both know Castiel comes first for Dean. He made that pretty obvious the couple a times he had had words with the angel.

But they begin to work together, even if they don't stop bickering. In turn, Dean starts trusting Benny even more. And Benny can tell this just pisses the angel off, but he never says or does anything about it. Benny stops touching Dean. He knows there's no way in hell Dean will ever return the touch, or allow it to become more.

Castiel touches Dean more, going as far as _cuddling_ Dean. And Dean lets him. And when the hunter falls asleep, he just clutches the angel closer, sighing his name, causing this possessive look that would scare the _shit_ outta Benny if they didn't have their little understanding.

One night in particular is burned into Benny's memory. Dean _moaning_ Castiel's name like a fuckin' pornstar with the angel sitting against a tree a foot away, hand on Dean's shoulder, eyes wide, staring at Dean as he begins to _writhe_ and at least the moaning and whimpering is quiet. Sometimes it wasn't. This is the first time Dean has called out in his sleep since Castiel joined them.

Benny would laugh at the look on the angel's face if he weren't so fucking envious. "Told ya."

Another low moan, followed by " _fuck, Cas, please."_

And the angel _whimpered._

"Hey, you're gettin' off lucky. Boy's got a filthy mouth."

 _"Lucky?"_

Benny laughs at the terrified look on the angel's face. Then the look twists into one of regret as he sighs, and a beat later Dean slumps into a deeper, dreamless sleep.

"To never have more than I do now? I'm _lucky_ that I will only have another week at most before I have only a few years memories to keep me sane in this place? We both know I'm not leaving Purgatory. Dean will hate himself for it."

A breath-

"Do you know what three years is to an angel? Less than a heartbeat. I will have him for a blink of the eye, and yet he will never be mine. Angels are not meant to feel these emotions, and do you know why? We are supposed to love none above our Father. I Fell because I broke that rule. And I will never be able to tell him that for all the eons I've seen, he is the most fascinating, frustrating, _divine_ creature that will ever exist."

"He said he's shoving your ass through that portal if it kills us all. What do you plan to do about that?" asks Benny. He feels it's a reasonable question- he's so far avoided thinking about the aftermath of escaping Purgatory, knowing it will probably break the hunter. Anything but fragile, but if there's one thing Benny's learned about Dean it's his weakness for the angel.

"Simple. Dean goes first."

Benny stares, long and hard. He can't fathom the angel's decision. "He'll see it as betrayal."

Castiel flinches for the second time that night. "Perhaps. I deserve to be here, Benny. I belong here, he doesn't."

"I don't know, feathers, he had the monsters running from him within a week of being down here. He's probably killed more than most of the monsters here too.

He ain't exactly helpless. Or innocent, for that matter. And I think, if you gave him the choice, he'd choose you."


End file.
